Joint Forces Journal is published privately, and in no way is connected with DoD, the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force or Coast Guard. This website and the printed newspaper are intended for the members of the Armed Forces and their families. Contents do not necessarily reflect official views of the U.S. Government, the Department of Defense or the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force or Coast Guard, and do not imply endorsements thereof. The marital status, physical handicap, political affiliation, or any other non-merit factor of the purchases, user or patron for advertisers prohibited. If a violation or rejection of this equal opportunity policy by an advertiser is confirmed, the publisher shall refuse to print advertising from that source until the violation is corrected. Editorial content is prepared and edited privately, and is provided by the Public Affairs Office of U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force and Coast Guard installations. Correspondence and material for publication should be addressed to: Editor, Joint Forces Journal, P.O. Box 13283, Oakland, CA, 94661-0283. Deadline for receiving articles and photos is 3 p.m. Monday for publication on Friday of that week. Joint Forces Journal editorial policy is to use bylines and photo credits where applicable and when submitted.

U.S. Navy to Run Rare 3-Carrier Military Exercise in Pacific

Nov 10, 2017by Robert Burns
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Navy recently said it will launch a rare military exercise involving three aircraft carrier strike groups in the western Pacific, coinciding with the final stops of President Donald Trump's Asia tour.

The maneuvers will be the Navy's first three-carrier exercise in the western Pacific since 2007.

The U.S. 7th Fleet, which announced the exercise, did not say where in the western Pacific the exercise will be conducted, but officials have said recently that it is intended to demonstrate U.S. resolve with allies Japan and South Korea during the ongoing crisis with North Korea.

"Multiple carrier strike force operations are very complex, and this exercise in the Western Pacific is a strong testament to the U.S. Pacific Fleet's unique ability and ironclad commitment to the continued security and stability of the region," the Pacific Fleet commander, Adm. Scott Swift, said.

The announcement made no mention of the exercise coinciding with Trump's Asia trip, but the maneuvers are connected with a string of U.S. moves to showcase U.S. military strength as Washington and its allies put diplomatic pressure on Pyongyang to end its nuclear weapons program and cease the testing of ballistic missiles.

U.S. strategic bombers have recently flown off the coast of Korea, and Trump mentioned in South Korea that U.S. submarines operate in that area.

Trump began his trip in Japan and then visited China. He also scheduled visits to Vietnam and the Philippines.

The carriers involved are the USS Ronald Reagan, based in Japan; the USS Theodore Roosevelt, based in San Diego; and the USS Nimitz, based at Naval Base Kitsap at Bremerton, Washington.

Gen. Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters in Hawaii in late October, before the dates of the exercise had been made public, that the three carriers were not targeting North Korea. He called their convergence in the area a "routine demonstration of our commitment to the region."

* * * * *

Photo caption: The USS Ronald Reagan, based in Japan, is one of three U.S. aircraft carriers set to be involved in a military exercise in the western Pacific.